Free public screening of ‘P.T. Barnum: The Lost Legend’ in Bridgeport

Staff reports

Published
5:38 pm EDT, Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Connecticut Film Festival FilmFest52 is hosting a free public screening of “P.T. Barnum: The Lost Legend” at Bridgeport’s Housatonic Community College on June 14 that includes a reception with director Corey Boutilier.

Connecticut Film Festival FilmFest52 is hosting a free public screening of “P.T. Barnum: The Lost Legend” at Bridgeport’s Housatonic Community College on June 14 that includes a reception with director

Connecticut Film Festival FilmFest52 is hosting a free public screening of “P.T. Barnum: The Lost Legend” at Bridgeport’s Housatonic Community College on June 14 that includes a reception with director Corey Boutilier.

Connecticut Film Festival FilmFest52 is hosting a free public screening of “P.T. Barnum: The Lost Legend” at Bridgeport’s Housatonic Community College on June 14 that includes a reception with director

Connecticut Film Festival FilmFest52 is hosting a free public screening screening of “P.T. Barnum: The Lost Legend” at Housatonic Community College on Friday, June 14.

The Bridgeport premiere of the documentary will include at 6 p.m. VIP meet-and-greet catered reception with director Corey Boutilier, cast members and musicians. The film screens at 7 p.m., featuring a Q&A with Boutilier and cast members, including Kathy Mayer, Executive Director of The Barnum Museum, and David Gesualdi, sculptor of a life-size bronze statue of Bethel’s most famous native that sits at the entrance to the town’s library.

“P.T. Barnum: The Lost Legend” celebrates the Connecticut native, a philanthropist and progressive thought leader, who was a successful and wealthy businessman, a prolific author of self help books, stories, and an autobiographer who saw great value in education and museums accessible to the public.

The film demonstrates the importance of Barnum in shaping the fabric of America today, and explores why he should be newly honored and remembered properly by his birthplace, according to a news release.

In 2010, the year of P.T. Barnum’s 200th Birthday, two Connecticut towns competed over the claim that Barnum is their native son; his birthplace, Bethel, commissioned a life-size bronze statue, while Bridgeport is where Barnum served as mayor.

Before the new Barnum statue was erected in Bethel, many residents were not aware that Barnum was even born there, according to the release, with his memory all but lost to only a few of his most diehard fans in town.

Most residents had not read his autobiography and new very little about the change maker. Besides a couple of streets named in his honor, there was little information available other than a folder at The Bethel Public Library containing copies of old newspaper articles, the release noted.

Even the new owners of Barnum’s birthplace home were unaware of its significant history until the time of the house closing. It wasn’t even mentioned in the listing of the home’s description. Since the dedication of Bethel artist Gesualdi’s statute there has been a new interest in Barnum’s legend and historical significance both locally and nationally.

“There are many false cliches and stories that still circulate about Barnum, and still other fascinating stories that are hidden among his personal letters and biographies. ‘P.T Barnum: The Lost Legend’ hopes to enlighten the viewer with a modern interpretation of the man, to reset some of that narrative and bring the hidden stories to light. And, ultimately entertain and inspire future generations from the achievements of P.T. Barnum,” according to the news release.